Australian Aborigines' League
The Australian Aborigines' League was established in
brother-in-law of Cooper[2]
). Cooper was secretary of the League.
In a letter to the editor of The West Australian, Cooper wrote "The plea of our league is a fair deal for the dark race".[3] The League campaigned for the repeal of discriminatory legislation and for programs to "uplift the aboriginal race".[4]
An early initiative by the League was to petition
King George V in 1933 for Indigenous Australians to be represented in the Australian Parliament, among other requests. 1,814 signatures were collected on the petition, although it was reported that Cooper believed many Aboriginal people living on missions and reserves were too afraid to add their signature.[5]
In 1938 it joined the
Aborigines and to demand full citizenship and equal rights.[1] Mr. W. Ferguson, organising secretary of the Aborigines' Progressive Association of New South Wales, said of the planned national day of mourning: "The aborigines do not want protection... We have been protected for 150 years, and look what has become of us. Scientists have studied us and written books about us as though we were some strange curiosities, but they have not prevented us from contracting tuberculosis and other diseases, which have wiped us out in thousands".[6] In 1939 the League also supported the mass walk-off at Cummeragunja Reserve, an Aboriginal reserve.[4]
On 6 December 1938, following the
Nazi government of Germany".[7] This was one of the first protests against the Nazis' actions in the world.[2]
The League was less active after Cooper's death in 1941 but was revived after the Second World War by
Aborigines Advancement League.[1]
See also
- Aboriginal Advancement League, Victoria (formerly Victorian Aborigines Advancement League)
- Aborigines Progressive Association, New South Wales
- Aborigines' Advancement League of South Australia
- Day of Mourning (Australia)
- Voting rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
References
- ^ a b c "Australian Aborigines' League". Collaborating for Indigenous Rights. National Museum of Australia. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 29 April 2012.
- ^ a b James, Andrea (19 March 2018). "A Tamil amongst First Australians" (Audio (11 mins)). SBS Tamil (Interview). Interviewed by Sanchayan, Kulasegaram. SBS. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- ^ "Native Regulations". The West Australian. Perth, WA: National Library of Australia. 22 November 1938. p. 9. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
- ^ a b Australian Aborigines' League
- ^ "Aborigines' League". Townsville Daily Bulletin. Qld.: National Library of Australia. 27 October 1937. p. 8. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
- ^ "BLACK MAN'S VIEWPOINT". The Mercury. Hobart, Tas.: National Library of Australia. 13 November 1937. p. 15. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
- ^ "Aboriginal leader honored in Israel". News. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 28 April 2009. Retrieved 1 May 2012.
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